Yankees’ Jameson Taillon loses perfect game in 8th inning vs. Angels

Isiah Kiner-Falefa guided Jameson Taillon through the 20th batter of his perfect game and no-hitter bid. 

He couldn’t do the same with the 22nd batter. 

After carrying a perfect game through seven innings, Jared Walsh led off the eighth inning with what was ruled a double. He hit it hard up the middle, and Kiner-Falefa, who was shifted to the right of second base, was unable to make the backhand. The ball hit off his glove and rolled into center field, allowing Walsh to advance to second. 

The previous inning, Taillon saw Shohei Ohtani rip a line drive over the head. The Yankees shortstop, however, was shifted on the right side of second base, like he was for Walsh’s hit, and was able to snag it off one hop and throw an off-balanced, one-hop strike to first base with all his momentum carrying him towards left field to put out the reigning MVP. 

After Walsh’s double, Taillon retired the next two batters before a Kurt Suzuki single drove in the first Angels run and put them ahead 1-0.

After starting the inning with a perfect game, Taillon finished the eighth inning on the hook for a potential loss. But Anthony Rizzo not only spared him from the L — he delivered Taillon the victory with a game-winning two-run RBI single in the eighth inning with the bases loaded. Clay Holmes picked up the save after loading the bases in an adventurous ninth inning in the 2-1 win.